Italian Vegetable Quinoa Casserole

Recipe posted in: Flex Meals & Snacks, Lunches & Dinners, Main Courses

Italian food just makes life better. That’s why this Italian Vegetable Quinoa Bake is the king of quinoa casseroles. Hearty, thick tomato sauce—livened up with salt, pepper, oregano and basil—bathes this superfood seed, while hot mozzarella makes it all the more tantalizing. Dig into comfort food at its best. You’ll be saying, “arrivederci” to that bowl of pasta in no time.

Make room for quinoa casseroles like the Italian Vegetable Quinoa bake in your flex lunch rotation. One serving counts as one SmartCarb and one PowerFuel on the Nutrisystem program.

If you need a refresher on flex meals, click here.>

Servings: 8

Calories per Serving: 193

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower florets
  • 1 large zucchini, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. dried basil
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1½ cups water
  • 2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce (no sodium or sugar added)
  • 1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella, divided
  • 1 cup fat free cottage cheese
  • ½ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a 13 x 9-inch pan, combine cauliflower, zucchini, olive oil, salt, oregano, dried basil and black pepper.
  3. Roast for about 10 minutes and toss the vegetables. Continue roasting for 10-15 minutes or until cauliflower and zucchini are lightly browned in spots.
  4. Meanwhile, place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water for about 2 minutes.
  5. Add quinoa to a medium saucepan with 1½ cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil.
  6. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
  7. Fluff with a fork, and then transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the tomato sauce, one-half of the mozzarella cheese, the cottage cheese and the fresh basil.
  8. Remove the cauliflower and zucchini from the oven. Mist the pan (leaving the vegetables inside) with nonstick cooking spray.
  9. Add the quinoa mixture to the pan. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Top with remaining cheese.
  10. Bake until cheese is melted and edges are lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
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